I'm sorry I'm just now updating you on this past month.

We've arrived in South Africa after a month in the Philippines. South Africa is going to be awesome, something different than I've ever experienced. God's doing big things in my heart and in the people here. Totally excited! 

As for The Philippines...it was an incredible month full of adventure and surprises. We were blessed beyond belief with accommodations, and people who cared for us all along the way. We helped in many different capacities throughout the country, which allowed us to see the dichotomy between rich and poor. Manila, the capital, is extremely wealthy. Yet, displays of poverty exist all around. We also had bursts of adventure thrown into the mix. Riding on top of Jeeps, hiking, volcanoes, playing sports. Below are some of the highlights of the month. Please check out my teammates blogs too. They paint a great picture.

 The first week we worked with Vacation Bible School for a wealthy church. Which included some of the team members dressing up as The Chronicles of Narnia characters.

The second week we traveled to a far off island, one of the most beautiful places I've been, to help with church construction. Pastor Al, often called us up to speak during meetings. He is a very gentle and caring man, I really enjoyed my time with his family. During our stay, they also finished a homemade volleyball court. We enjoyed playing late night games under the lights.

On the way back from the island, we celebrated Jessica's birthday with a hike through a volcano - An unguided jaunt through the jungle, an amazing time. We camped in the crater. My teammates share some great stories from this time, check them out.

The third week we were given the opportunity to pray into different ministry opportunities. I substitute taught a few days at a Christian school - Weird to be back in the classroom. 

All in all, if I could sum the month up in one word it would be: VARIETY.

I hope all of you are great back at home. Enjoying the summer weather, and good times. Miss you all, and thank you for your support and continual encouragement. More stories to come.

Imagine riding down a dirt highway on motorbike, lush farmland on the left and right, a sea of green grass flowing by and expanding into the distance.  Ahead of me lies the open road, no one in sight. The hum of the motor drowns out my thoughts.  I look to my right and catch the sun midway through sunset.  Taken in by the beauty of the moment, I pull over and watch the sun take its last breath of the day.  I sit in silence not wanting the moment to end.  I'm struck by the solitude. An open expanse of land, a strip of dirt road, a lone rider.  In these moments I know there must exist something greater in life. In the grandness of scale, my life must have purpose.

This month on the World Race we took a break from ministry to follow our translator, Boom, home for the weekend.  While my squad mates experienced ministry locations along the beautiful beaches of Thailand, and in the exciting capital city of Bangkok, I found myself with a small group on a bus to the outer provinces.  We rarely experience comforts on the road. The idea of giving up coffee houses, comfy restaurants, and Internet cafes, for a rural village with outhouses and fire pits... I mourned slightly.  However, I yearned for an experience outside my comfort zone in complete immersion of the culture.

Boom's village had never seen a foreigner before.  As we pulled into the village, elevated huts on stilts stood in close proximity to one another - each painted with gasoline to avoid termite damage.  Don't drop a match! Jumping off the truck we meet Boom's grandmother first. Introductions followed with her Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and Siblings, as we continued down the road.  By the time we arrived at Boom's home we had acquired a following.  On display, we took a seat on straw mats on the floor under their home. People approached us without shyness. They held our hands, lifted our arms, and rubbed the toenail polish on our toes.  We sat side-by-side in a line facing the crowd.  I could not help but empathize with zoo animals.  Suddenly, I remembered we had Boom; we could communicate!  After a barrage of questions and stares, followed by dinner, we set up camp for the night.

The next morning I awoke from my tent to the noise of brooms sweeping dirt across the yard. Roosters crowed with enthusiasm – a common alarm clock on the World Race.  Flipping the door open to my tent, Boom told us to dress for clam digging at the river.  We consumed fish for breakfast and jumped in the truck.  We made our way to the river, ducking under swinging branches and passing wild elephants along the way. Two Thai teenagers followed on motorbike in pursuit; one serenaded us on guitar as we pulled up to the water.  I must admit, I thought clam digging entailed walking along the water's edge harvesting clams out of the sand.  Wrong, here it entailed full emersion in the water; neck high, using my toes to feel for shells beneath.  Finally, after some practice I found the ability to pull a few up with my feet.  "Lunch", Boom called out.  I handed her the shells.  Lunch, that easy?  No store, no market, just a trip to the river? The night before we plucked a chicken for dinner, so not surprising.

As I juggle time zones, I'm continually amazed at the rare situations I find myself in. Living off the land and experiencing another way of life constantly urges me to juxtapose my memory of home with my current reality.  I ask myself what daily life looks like for the people of this village. Some villagers sell crops to local markets, and some work in nearby factories.  Boom is a rare exception. She is the only one in her family to pursue study at the University. Here, they value family and friends. However, for the most part the community engages in the same daily routine: eat, sleep, work, and rest.  Not much unlike America, I gather, only Americans tend to find more things to fill their time. However, the question lingers. What do the people live for?  What do I live for?

As I took the motorbike out for a ride and watched the sunset, I pondered such questions.  With few distractions, one finds time to think about purpose and meaning.  Looking at the sprawling landscape and gorgeous sunset, I know such scenery exists for more than peoples' admiration.  Inside I feel a yearning that knows there is more to life. I'm not here merely to pass time. I could easily go through day-to-day life, never really thinking of the question:  What do we live for? However, the pace of the village, calls me to answer the question.  Relationships are momentary pleasures.  Workweeks end.   After the dinner party, people go home.   For years I searched for peace to the yearning inside. Only through my faith did I found something that lasts.   I'm glad I did not experience the distractions of the city.  My time in the village reminded me of why I began this trip. Our surroundings, our loving relationships, point to something. A Creator.  He desires to know us all.

Well, after an 8-hour bus ride from Bangkok, Thailand, we arrive around 5:00A.M. in the town of Selaphum. While most of the teams are experiencing city life this month, Blikvah (I'll explain the name in a minute) is getting a taste of small town life. As we step off the bus we find ourselves waiting on the side of the road for our contact to pick us up. Minutes later she arrives and we throw our packs in the back of the truck and hop on for the ride home. We pull up to their church where we are ushered into a small room. We are told to get some sleep and be ready for breakfast at 8. We are also to have our bags packed for a two-day stint of bible camp in the jungle. The what... I think to myself...the jungle? But it's 5:00 in the morning and I have to be up in 3 hours...so it's no time for details.                                                                                 
                    Camp bus....                                                                                             

The next morning we board the bus for bible camp...60 rambunctious kids, wide awake, singing karaoke, and dancing in the aisles as we make our way to camp. I'm reminded of my bus rides to Young Life camp, and our shared enthusiasm. Turns out the jungle was not quite the jungle. Thank goodness. Ma, as our contact likes us to call her, just wanted us to be prepared.    But eager mentors welcome the children as they jump of the bus. Over the next two days, many of the children heard of Jesus for the first time. For many, seeds were planted, as they were introduced to the bible and to a God that loves them and wants to know them.

This month our focus is building relationships with these children through English/bible study and sports ministry. Many of the children live in close proximity to the church. In addition, the church also lies next door to a leper colony.   While communication barriers exist, our intent is to love the people here in the way Christ loves. 

Ma and the pastor have lived in Selaphum over 20 years. They have built their church from the ground up, in an area where Buddhism is prominent, and Christianity is shunned.   I've never seen a community so impacted by the presence of 2 people. Yet, as I walk around the village and speak with families, I witness their impact. I ask people, "How did you come to know Christ" and they say, "Ma". Their heart beats for people to know Jesus, and God has used them in so many ways. It inspires me as I look around our church service and see kids, university students, elders, lepers, mothers, and foreigners all worshiping together. This is Jesus...this is his heart.

So please keep us in your prayers, and pray for the people of Selaphum.   Prayer has purpose and power.

I remember sitting in coffee shops back home and watching as patrons came in and sat down near me. Often I would offer up a hello, and think about continuing with conversation, but rarely make the effort. Now, I think of the many missed opportunities I had to get to know people. A person you meet at the coffee shop may not become your best friend, but you never know how one conversation could impact your life. Especially, when you share the gospel.

I'd like to say things are different overseas. But I'm finding that building relationships takes just as much effort here, as at home. Things don't change just because your focus is mission work for a year. 

As I learn to open myself up to conversation and engage people though, I find the more natural it becomes. I hope when I get home, I won't THINK about talking to the person to my left or to my right, but that I'll just start chatting. I've noticed just in the short time I've pursued this "little experiment" how randomly people enter my path. Whether it's the TukTuk driver who comes up to offer a ride, or the lady at the coke stand where I stop for my "daily dietary supplement." Maybe these people have been there all along. I didn't take the time to notice, to stop, to listen, to learn, to laugh with them. I thought about it, but didn't stop. And WE MISS OUT! So, my prayer is that I have eyes for those around me. 

So, let me encourage you to talk to the cashier at the grocery store, or the waiter taking your order, the lady sitting next to you on the bus, or the man cheering on his son at the basketball game, the coworker you see daily. How will God use you to change a life? How will he use others to change your life? Don't we all desire to have those experiences! Right now it takes effort, in the future maybe it will be effortless. And as we open ourselves up to people, who knows who God will place in front of us.  It just starts with a little initiative.

Pray and Watch

What I'm Learning: Before I came on this trip, very seldom did I fully give my prayers to God. Often I would pray, and follow immediately by taking action. For example, I'd pray for unity amongst my Young Life team, and immediately follow by suggesting a game night. Or I'd pray for peace and guidance in my classroom as I taught challenging middle schoolers. Yet, I'd make sure to keep my guard up, always alert, never resting in His peace. So, the challenge became: What if I fully gave my prayers to God?

 
It's crazy trust to pray and wait. Crazy trust to Let Go. However, it's only now in letting go, that I've started to experience the freedom of God who's waiting in the wings.  I'm starting small. Praying for Vulnerability, unity, English speakers, Coke! But I'm just getting revved up. I can't wait for the day I pray the dangerous prayers. Lord, let this people group come to know You, let this city come to know You, let this nation come to know You. Will I trust? Do I believe He'll do it? Pray and Watch.

I walk into the street only to be blown over by a motorist carrying 10 chickens on the side of his bike. We joke about who will be the first person to get hit, as there are very few stoplights, and always a chaotic mix of motorist bustling through intersections. The motorbike is the family minivan down here. Imagine 4 people packed on a tiny little bike, with groceries, or hardware supplies held tightly in their hands....as I write this, two gentlemen are passing by with an oversized bag of rice wedged between them. If you understand the motorbike, you understand it all - The Dominicans work with what they have. And with what they have, they are extremely generous.

For the past three weeks we have been serving a rural farming village, home to 30 families. Normally, our day starts a little after dawn with breakfast, followed by our two mile walk to the farm. I use the walk as an opportunity to select a song of the day, which my teammates "love" I'm sure. Beach Boys, Oldies, have been among the favorites. Honestly, the walk is one of my favorite parts of the day. Slowly we make our way through the city, weaving our way through San Juan, until finally the narrowness of the city streets open to a vast expanse of lush green farmland. With mountains visible in the distance, it takes my breath away every morning. Mostly, in the village, we've assisted with painting their one room schoolhouse, gathering daily water, and helping with the harvest of their crops. I had the unique experience of pulling up bean plants with my bare hands. Let's just say the Dominicans kicked our tail with their speed and accuracy.   Along the way our goal has been to share our lives and faith with them. 

Upon entering the village for the first time, we didn't know what to expect. Dominicans tend to put relationships above all else and are extremely extroverted. It's not uncommon to be stopped in the middle of the street by a complete stranger, because they want to say hello. However, this was someone's home we were entering.   Nevertheless, we received the same welcoming reception. Before we knew it, every chair from their home was brought out for us to sit down. We were offered little cups of coffee, espresso, which they insisted we drink. Can you believe it, I experienced my first cup of coffee in the Dominican Republic! My teammate had to help me finish it though.

On that day, I couldn't help but feel bad for sharing what little they had. But their thoughts truly were not on themselves. Generosity!  I hope I carry that away from this experience.